And the Skies Are Not Cloudy All Day
by Angeroo
Summary: An Organ Trail fanfic with elements of Left 4 Dead and Resident Evil. Five survivors must travel across the United States during a zombie apocalypse. They must face Special Infected, illness, riots, and nuclear winter in hopes of surviving to reach Safe Haven in Oregon. Will Roxy be able to lead them there alive, or will they perish along the road like thousands of others?
1. The End of the World Again

**Chapter 1: The End of the World Again**

- - timeausTestified [TT] began pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG] at 18:12 - -

TT: The crowd waits with bated breath for the hero's return. Was she victorious? Did she win the fair maiden's heart?

TT: So, did you finally stop chickening out and ask her yet?

TT: Roxy.

TT: Are you there?

TG: why dirk

TG: i got no idea what youre talking about

TG: *whistles innocently

TT: Cut the crap Lalonde. Did you propose to your girlfriend or not? I have to know now for the sake of important research.

TG: impotant research my ass

TG: *important

TG: actually frist time was right

TG: you just wanna get all up in my business so you can gossip w/ all your ladyfriends

TG: just call everyone over and do nails and have plillow fights in skimpy clothing

TG: dont worry girls I wont cop a feel

TT: While nails and pillow fights do have their appeal, I am far less interested in what those ladies are wearing and what you're wearing on your ring finger.

TT: Spill it.

TG: course youre not intrested in those ladies

TG: much rather have a sleepover w/ one mr english

TG: *wonk*

TT: You haven't done it yet, have you?

TT: You have once again failed to find the courage to do this one simple task.

TT: The two of you have been together for five goddamn years, Roxy!

TT: What do you think she'll say, "No, it turns out I was lying about liking you this whole time"?

TG: its not like that dirk and you know it

TG: since you gotta look after her bro all the time

TT: Allow me to clarify one thing. Caliborn and I are not in a relationship. Nobody is in a relationship with Caliborn. The only relationship Caliborn will likely ever have is an intimate history with his dentist.

TG: god you still havent weaned him off sugar?

TG: callie got her act 2gether before the end of her fsist year

TG: *first gogdammnit

TT: You talk about him as though he is an infant. He's a grown man who can make his own decisions, albeit poor ones.

TT: But enough about him.

TT: Why haven't you asked yet?

TG: k you gotta keep this secret

TT: My lips are locked. The key is lost. You know I'm trustworthy, Roxy.

TG: the problem is her feels as an ex-cherub are hard 2 figure out

TG: I dunno if she even knows what her feelins are since she originally wasnt capable of em

TT: So you don't want to force her into a social contract she can't escape? You know she has the ability to say no, right?

TG: yeah but she wont

TG: she wont wanna hurt my feelings so shell say yes

TG: thats the problem

TG: i kinda bought the ring on impulse w/o thinkin what it meant

TT: I see. You suspect she isn't ready. That is a very reasonable opinion. Just keep this in mind, Roxy.

TT: Calliope is a grown woman. She has lived in this world for ten years now; she's not as naïve as she used to be.

TT: I believe she has enough willpower to say "no", and is aware of what marriage means.

TG: but even if she knows

TG: theres another problem

TG: why teh fuck would i ever think for even a single goddamn minute that im marrage material?

TG: like what have i done that proves i can be even remotely dmomestic?

TT: Are you serious, Roxy?

TT: As I said before, the two of you have lived together for five years. You possess a little brick house in a quaint, Washington DC suburb. You guys don't even need a chores list because you're so used to the mundane routine. Rose told me she saw you downtown yesterday walking down the street together holding hands and making eyes at each other! When's the last time you've even gone out partying?

TG: ...well...

TG: like, a year ago?

TG: and she came w/ me

TT: Do you see what I'm saying? I don't think the wild lifestyle is quite as important to you as you think it is.

TG: look dirk

TG: i have the domestic ablilities of a water buffalo

TG: im gonna screw up

TG: i know it

TT: Of course you are. Marriage takes work. It won't be perfect right away, but you'll get the hang of it. I know for a fact that the two of you love each other enough that you won't leave when things get rough.

TT: You've fought before, correct? Yet you've still managed to stay together?

TT: I'd say that's a pretty damn good sign that you'll keep doing that even if you screw up.

TG: well...

TT: Don't bother arguing with me, Roxy. You know I'm correct.

TG: heh heh

TT: What?

TG: how do you even know this shit?

TG: youre a prepetual bachelor and the only guy youre interested in is off in the pacific islands

TT: Do not try to argue with a Heart player about relationship issues. On top of that, someone in my household watches a lot of marriage counseling shows, and I pick up on things.

TG: rly?

TG: who?

TT: I'll just leave that up to your imagination.

TG: hahahahahahah! oh shit!

TG: I cant believe this

TG: waitll I tell callie!

TT: Oh, she already knows. You don't live with him for a long time without knowing.

TG: ahahahah! k dirk i gotta go

TG: need 2 get some air

TG: also gfs burnin dinner

TT: Best of luck, Roxy.

TG: thx, dirk

TG: you really are teh best

Roxy quickly set her Pesterchum status to "idle" as the scent of burnt steak began to permeate the living room. She figured she had better get to the kitchen before all that was left was a pair of charcoal briquettes.

Standing in the doorway, Roxy peeked in at her girlfriend. The former Cherub was stooped over the stove, frantically attempting to fan away the smoke wafting from the unfortunate cuts of meat.

"Callie, do you need some help, babe?"

Calliope jumped, knocking a nearby pot off the counter with a resounding _clang_ as she twirled to face Roxy.

"Ah, no worries, love! Everything is under control here. Just ducky!"

Roxy always found Callie's faux-British mannerisms adorable, and this time was no exception.

Trying to hide her grin, Roxy replied, "Then where's all this smoke comin' from?"

Calliope looked at the blackened steaks, then back at Roxy. She sighed. "Very well, perhaps I could use some assistance, if it is not too much trouble. I can simply never figure out how to time it so that it comes out well-done as opposed to extra-crispy. Being a Cherub was easier when it came to food; raw meat didn't take much time to prepare!"

Roxy giggled. After the game, everyone had been revived by a man who called himself "The Narrator". Then they were placed into a new reality, which seemed to be a near replica of Universe B1. The aliens also received human bodies in order to fit in. Easier said than done. The Cherubs had massive difficulties adjusting to human food. Neither of them had initially seemed to figure out that raw meat could make humans sick, or that too much sugar was unhealthy. Of course, after the first outrageous dentist bills and a couple nights kneeling before the porcelain throne due to food poisoning, Calliope had shaped up her act. She still struggled with cooking, though.

"Here," said Roxy, pushing past the flustered woman and pulling the oven open. "It looks like it's done, anyway." It was a little burned (okay, a lot burned), but the meat was still edible. After getting together their side dishes, mashed potatoes and salad, they settled down at the table to eat together.

A few minutes passed in uncharacteristic silence. Roxy was thinking deeply about their future. Was Calliope really ready for this? She'd had ten years to adjust to human emotions. As Dirk said, Callie was a grown woman. She wouldn't let herself be pressured into something she wasn't comfortable with, right? Over the years, she had become so much more assertive.

What was Roxy really afraid of, anyway? Maybe she was scared that _she_ wasn't ready for this. While Dirk may have been correct in his assessment that partying wasn't as important to her as being with Calliope, that didn't mean she'd be a good wife. Her B1 counterpart settled into the domestic life when she adopted Rose, but she didn't exactly win any "Mom of the Year" awards. Would she be able to handle it?

Great, now she sounded like Rose, psychoanalyzing herself. It would be fine. She'd been with Calliope for five years now, and she couldn't imagine surviving without her. Being married wouldn't be all that different from the way things were now, right? Just day-to-day life with a ring.

"Roxy? Is something troubling you, love?" Calliope suddenly broke the silence.

"Oh. I'm fine," replied Roxy. _Better come up with an excuse quickly!_ "I was just thinkin' of somethin' Dirk said today. Did you know your bro watches marriage counseling shows for fun?"

Calliope rolled her eyes. Any mention of her brother tended to have that effect. "I know. He does so for entirely the wrong reasons. It's part of his uncanny fetish for red romance or some such codswallop."

"Oh? I thought it was totes hilarious!" Roxy said enthusiastically.

Calliope grinned, but said nothing, simply returning to her attempts to saw off an edible size chunk of meat. Using the pause to her advantage, Roxy decided she should at least ask Callie her opinion on this. No point beating around the bush.

"Callie, I got a question."

"Hmm? What is it, Roxy?"

"What would you think about-"

A sudden, shrill noise echoed through the room, cutting Roxy off mid-sentence. At first she thought it was the fire alarm, but then she realized it was coming from outside the house. An air raid siren.

The two women looked at each other speechlessly for a moment, all previous conversation forgotten. Then Calliope spoke.

"What in blazes is that sound? A siren?"

"For air raids," Roxy responded absently as she ran to the living room and rifled around for the remote. Momentarily she emerged from beneath the sofa, device held triumphantly in her hand. She plopped herself down on the cushions and flicked the TV on. Calliope settled tensely beside her.

"-hospital. Police have surrounded the building as a result of what appears to be some kind of riot." The well-groomed and official looking woman on screen spoke into a microphone facing the camera. In the background, several blocks away, a building fueled a towering inferno. Strange, greenish-gray smoke billowed upward as hundreds of tiny figures dashed to and fro at its base. Flashing blue and red lights ringed the scene as police and firefighters fought valiantly against the flames.

As though sensing what the viewer was thinking, the camera zoomed steadily inward toward the chaos. It focused on a smaller group of rioters. Something seemed off about them. A police officer unloaded clip after clip into the crowd, but the presumed criminals showed no fear. As their fellows succumbed, more simply stumbled over top of them to take their place.

The camera shifted to another group of distant combatants. Police were running around frantically when a huge, hulking creature came charging out from behind a fire truck. What was it? A man? It looked more like an enormous gorilla. The officers absconded behind a cruiser, likely waiting for backup.

They needn't have bothered. The monsterous creature grabbed the bottom of the vehicle and, with little difficulty, lifted it bodily over its head. Frightened officers sprinted away but did not get far as the beast hurled their cruiser. It crushed them where they stood.

Roxy could hear the cameraman swear just as she also heard Calliope gasp. Turning, she noticed that her lover had her hands plastered over her eyes. Callie shook slightly.

Roxy inched over to her cowering girlfriend and gently slid an arm around her.

"Shh... it's alright. It's all gonna be fine Callie, you'll see", Roxy whispered, not really sure if she was trying to convince her lover or herself.

"I... it's dreadful, Roxy! What's happening over there?" the former Cherub sobbed behind her hands.

"I dunno, babe, but if you stick with me, you'll be safe, 'kay?"

Calliope did not answer, instead opting to bury her head in Roxy's shoulder.

The TV droned on: "- you, Linda. The police have offered a notice that no citizens are to leave their homes during this crisis under penalty of law. What's more, the city is closed off until further notice."

Roxy sighed. So much for suggesting a proposal tonight. Instead she simply held Callie closer as she replayed in her head the image of the strange creature, and the destruction it wrought.

- - timeausTestified [TT] began pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG] at 19:03 - -

TT: Roxy!

TT: Are you there? Answer me!

TG: im here

TG: jegus no need 2 get pushy

TT: I just found out there is a riot occurring a few miles from you, and you're calling me pushy for worrying?

TG: wait you found out that quick?

TG: reporters are fast

TG: like a fast food restaurant that serves news

TG: hello miss id like a lrge lifestyle page w/ a side of sports

TG: would u leik a horoscope with that?

TT: Roxy I am fucking serious. The same thing is happening in cities all over the country. John told me a hospital in LA got hit, too.

TG: wait what?

TG: this isnt just a washington dc thing?

TT: No, there's coverage across the nation.

TG: fuck

TG: okay do you have any idea whats goin on?

TT: Well, we appear to be under attack by large groups of ravening hospital patients, many of whom do not seem to be affected by pain. What do you think is going on?

TG: hopy shiit

TG: ur sayin its a zombie apopcalypse

TG: *aplopcalypse

TG: *apocalpypse

TG: fuck it

TG: is it the end of the world or not?

TT: It's too early to tell for certain. All I know is that we should get ready, 'cause shit's about to get real.

TT: Not that we aren't familiar with apocalyptic scenarios or anything, but we should still be careful.

TT: Please take care, Roxy.

TG: dont worry bout me dirk

TG: imma zombie survival specialist

TG: me and callie will both b fine

TG: trust me

TT: I don't know if your hubris makes me feel better or worse. Anyway, keep me updated. I'll be online all night.

TG: k man

TG: oh and dirk

TT: Yeah?

TG: thx 4 bein such a good friend

- - timeausTestified [TT] ceased pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG] at 19:13 - -

- - tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG] at 18:59 - -

TT: It appears we are currently being inundated with hordes of the undead.

TT: Even as a Seer of Light, I could not say I would have ever predicted this.

TT: A response would be very welcome right now, Roxy.

TT: Oh, you're talking to Dirk, aren't you? The wheels of moirallegience turn ceaselessly, I suppose. Perhaps when we get a chance we can discuss the wisdom of assigning Troll names to human relationships.

- - tentacleTherapist [TT] is now an idle chum! - -

TG: hopy shit rose

TG: no one cares about that

TG: theres chaos in teh streets and all you can do is babble on about intnterspecies relationships

TG: like if freud took a course in how to be even more obnoxious than he already was

TT: I resent your derision of the founder of psychology. Freud had many inventive ideas, even if he was completely insane.

TT: That isn't what I wanted to talk to you about, though. How are things on your side of town?

TG: p calm over here cept for all the sirens and ambulances comin by

TG: gotta say this was a surprise

TG: were both pretty shaken up

TG: you?

TT: Things in the Maryam-Lalonde household remain normal.

TG: thats good to hear

TG: hows kanaya takin it?

TT: She is quite irate at the government's irresponsible management of a zombie outbreak, and is currently on the phone to the chief of police attempting to give pointers.

TG: haha

TG: why r they even listenin to a random lady givin zmombie pointers?

TT: They are not; they have her on hold. I do not plan to interrupt her campaign. It is often best to allow Kanaya her space to fret.

TT: Anyway, let's get to the crux of this conversation, shall we?

TT: I have a proposition for you.

TG: oh?

TG: is is a prpositopn I cant refuse?

TT: Feel free to refuse if you wish. All I ask is that if things get out of hand, you and Calliope come to our apartment for refuge. It is advantageously situated high above the chaos.

TG: but nobodys allowed 2 leave their houses

TT: This is only for a worst-case scenario. Should the police and military fall, we are more likely to survive together than apart. Jade is already contacting PM and WV to make the same arrangements.

TG: oh w/ everythin thats hapenin I forgot jade was visitin you guys

TG: yeah if things get outta hand well go over there

TG: assuming we can even get there

TG: you know how apocalypses can be

TT: Indeed. Chaos is omnipresent. So long as we stay in touch, everything should be fine. We've survived worse.

TG: yeah i was tellin dirk not 2 worry

TG: but hes frettin like a mom on her kids first day of knindergarden

TG: *kindergarten

TG: tyin me to his apron strings and spittin on a towel to clean my face

TT: Would you say you are attracted to him as a friend because of his mothering behavior? You lacked a parental figure in your youth, so it makes sense that you would seek a substitute.

TG: nope

TG: were not goin down this road

TG: u can tlak 2 him bout it

TG: i got other things 2 do

TT: Of course. There is a probable apocalypse going on after all.

TT: But Roxy, please be careful

TG: fuck not u too

TG: k mom ill be safe

TT: Good. Don't forget to wear a jacket when you go out, and be sure to stay in touch.

TG: k later

- - tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG] at 19:32 - -


	2. Car Trouble

**Chapter 2: Car Trouble**

"Alright, that's it!" shouted Roxy, pounding the coffee table with one of her fists. Calliope, who was already jumpy under the circumstances, nearly dropped her lit match onto the carpet. Thankfully she righted it before it could do any damage, quickly lit the candle, and blew the match out.

"What's the matter, Roxy?" asked Calliope.

"What _isn't_ the matter?" Roxy groused. "We've been stuck in the house for a week now, we got no power or water, we're runnin' out of food, and the walking dead are knocking down our door. It's been too long. We gotta do somethin'."

"Something such as?" Calliope prompted gently.

"We gotta go to Rose's place."

Calliope's eyes widened. "We can't do that! The military hasn't given us the all clear!"

"In case you haven't noticed," said Roxy, looking out the bay window pensively, "Not a single soldier or cop's passed by this place since yesterday. Usually they're here all the time. I think they've abandoned us."

"What?" Callie cried incredulously. "Why would they do such a monstrous thing?"

"Because they've lost the city." Roxy turned to look at her girlfriend gravely. "They can't risk any more casualties, and they're needed elsewhere. We're gonna hafta go it alone."

"Are you sure about this?" Calliope hugged herself tightly, not a fan of where this was going.

"Yeah."

"We have to go right now?"

"Yep. It's broad daylight, so the zombies are the most docile they're gonna get. Let's get our stuff together. Pack light, bring food, water, first aid, and any personal items you might want." Roxy started off for the bedroom.

"Roxy, wait!" Calliope asked desperately.

"Yeah?"

"What if... what if the military returns, and we're not in our home? Wouldn't they be furious?"

"Callie, even if they did return, which isn't gonna happen, they'd have bigger problems to deal with than a few people playin' Musical Safe House. You know that. So, what's the real issue?" Roxy looked inquisitively at the former Cherub, who blushed furiously.

"Oh, there is no real issue, love. Everything is fine!"

"You're a poor liar and you always have been, Callie. Talk to me, girlfriend!," Roxy crossed her arms, indicating that there would be no arguing.

"W-well," Calliope stuttered softly, "There is simply so much that could go pear-shaped out there! You've seen the TV. Even looking out the windows, you've seen what the undead can do. Some grab and bite you, others throttle, pounce, maul, crush or even vomit on you. That's not even mentioning the ravenous giant animals that roam the streets! Yesterday, I'm fairly certain I saw a man made of leeches crawl out of the storm drain. Leeches, Roxy! I really think we should stay here!"

When Calliope stopped to catch her breath, Roxy gently took her by the shoulders. Looking into her lover's eyes, Roxy smiled as she encouraged her.

"Callie, you defeated Lord Goddamn English in one-on-one combat. You fuckin' trounced his ass like Mario wreckin' the Mushroom Kingdom's most ineffectual Goomba. I think you can handle a few zombies!"

"That's clearly hyperbole, Roxy. My battle with Lord English was terrifying and I very nearly snuffed it. It is not an experience I care to replicate," Calliope protested. "The undead hordes can kill us just as easily as my brother could. After all, in this universe we have only one life to lose!"

"Look, babe, I know you'll do great. You're smart, you're tough, and you're a kickass shot with that magnum. You're totes capable of trouncin' some zombie ass." When Calliope still looked hesitant, Roxy continued. "If you don't believe in yourself, at least believe in me, who believes in you!"

Calliope giggled nervously. "Very original, Roxy."

Encouraged by Callie's laughter, Roxy pressed further. "Doesn't mean it isn't true, though! Come on, you trust me, right?"

"Of course I trust you! I trust you more than anyone in the universe!" said Calliope earnestly.

"Then trust me on this: you'll be awesome. 'Kay?"

Callie smiled gently. "Okay, love. I shall try my utmost. Just, please stay close! I don't want to lose you."

"We'll stick together like a pair of ions on a date! Now let's get goin'!" Roxy started back down the hallway, and this time Calliope followed.

* * *

><p>Ultimately, Calliope had to leave her most precious possession behind. The chronicle of sessions A2 and B1, which was such an important part of her upbringing, was simply too heavy to lug around efficiently. It was times like these that she missed the Sylladex system, as unwieldy as it was. At least she had the book memorized.<p>

Instead, she brought practical items: food, water, medicine, ammo, and clothing. She also brought a blank notebook and a number of colored pens and pencils. If she was to be surviving day to day by the skin of her teeth, drawing was the only way she could keep her sanity.

Now thoroughly outfitted, Calliope met Roxy at the door to the garage. Roxy was similarly burdened. She grinned encouragingly.

"You ready?" she asked, trying to drum up excitement for what could very well be a suicide mission.

"I suppose I'm as prepared as I can possibly get," Calliope said with significantly less enthusiasm. She sagged under the weight of her backpack. "Are we taking the car, then?"

"Yep. It's probably safer than walking, since there's the extra barrier between us and them. And if the road's impassable, we can just leave it," Roxy explained.

"Wouldn't the sound of the engine alert the undead to our presence?" Calliope asked, brow creased with worry.

"Yeah, but it's still safer than walkin'. You saw how those things operate. If two of 'em get us at the same time, it's curtains. Walkin' would be a death sentence."

Roxy opened the door to the garage. It was dark, the only light coming from a window in the back. The scent of mildew and age pervaded the space. Calliope hoped the skittering sounds in the walls were normal rodents, not infected ones.

As Roxy got the doors to her hot pink Honda unlocked, Callie continued to fret.

"What if one of the big ones finds us? The Tank, was it? They can toss vehicles as though they were nothing!"

"I'd rather meet one while behind a thick metal shield rather than with our squishy meat bodies alone," Roxy said, getting in the driver's seat. She turned to Calliope and smiled, patting the passenger seat next to her. "Let's get goin'! We can go for a cruise in my hella fancy ride. I'll show you all the places the cool kids hang out."

Even as she sat down, Callie worried. "What if-"

Roxy cut her off before she could say anymore. "Listen, babe! It's broad daylight. You can practically run the Z's over and you got basically a fifty percent chance of them not givin' a shit. Gog knows how those military idiots let things get this bad!" Seats were adjusted, lights were checked, fuzzy pink dice were hung from the rear view mirror. Roxy was good to go!

Calliope was still concerned. Daylight seemed to have little impact on the Special Infected. They could get attacked during the day just as easily as at night. But Callie knew better than to argue. Roxy was a woman on a mission, and nothing was going to keep her from getting to Rose's place.

Hesitantly, she got in the car and closed the door. Roxy grinned as she turned the it on and revved the engine. Then she pressed the button to the garage door and nothing happened.

"Fuck," she said. "Power's out, I forgot. You wanna help me get the door open? Bring your gun!"

Calliope nodded hesitantly, took a deep breath, and got out of the car. Together, the two of them forced open the garage door, letting vivid sunlight inside. They angled their guns outward as their eyes adjusted to the brightness.

A few tense seconds passed, their ears taking up the responsibilities their eyes couldn't. Then the world came into focus.

Their little suburban neighborhood was in shambles. Homes were wrecked, and fires smouldered in the carefully tended bushes and trees. Strange stains marred the pavement of the road. Here and there, a figure could be seen. They stood shakily, or sat in the dirt. Their pale and rotten skin denoted that they were not to be trusted. At least they seemed not to take any interest in the two women who were now scrambling back to the car.

Calliope's heart beat quickly. That hadn't been so bad! Perhaps they may be able to reach Rose's apartment after all. She gave Roxy a shaky smile. Roxy grinned back.

As an afterthought, Roxy reached out and grabbed a pair of rakes leaning against the wall. "Might need these to discourage any grabbers. Long end would make a good deterrent." That done, she shut the door and settled back in the seat.

"Alright, let's get goin'!" she said. Shifting the gear into drive and tapping the acceleration, the hot pink vehicle crept cautiously out of the driveway, turned, and headed down the road.

* * *

><p>The trip was going smoothly, so far. Roxy was pretty good at avoiding the zombies, and Calliope became skilled the more she used the rake handle to jab any undead hangers-on. As they entered the city, the infected became more numerous, though no less docile. The sun seemed to be the survivors' ally.<p>

Now Rose's apartment was in sight, but the sheer number of zombies were making it harder to move. Large groups of undead were piling themselves onto the car at once, and it was all Calliope could do to knock them to the ground. The crowd had forced them to the left side of the road, into the shadow of a tall building.

"Almost there!" Roxy kept saying. "Just one more block!" Callie supposed she was trying to be comforting, but it wasn't working. Despite her status as a former alien, Calliope was genre-savvy enough to know that such encouraging phrases were asking for trouble. Or perhaps she was simply being paranoid. It was easy in such trying circumstances.

Just in case, Callie whispered to her girlfriend "I appreciate your encouragement, love, but could you perhaps stop tempting fate?"

Roxy giggled. "Oh, Callie, you know that's not how it works. This isn't..."

She was cut off as three things happened in the span of two seconds.

First, a large, fleshy something dropped onto their hood with a resounding _crash_, crushing the engine and leaving hundreds of tiny, spiderweb-like cracks on the windshield. As it impacted, it ruptured, splashing a huge wave of vile green goo all across the front of the car. Out the passenger window, Calliope could see the severed lower half of a Boomer go flopping to the ground.

Second, the car alarm went off. A high pitched, undulating wail began to echo through the neighborhood, nearly deafening the stunned women in the vehicle.

Finally, a second, moaning wail echoed throughout the horde as they stirred to action. Almost as a unit, they lurched for the car, climbing over each other in an attempt to get at their prey. Hundreds of rotting hands grabbed for the unfortunate survivors.

"God dammit Callie!" cried Roxy. "I fuckin' hate it when you're right!"

"Sorry, dear!" the former Cherub apologized in a panic.

Roxy was scrabbling at the dashboard. "It's alright, babe. Not your fault! Just get in the back and stay as low behind the front seats as you can. I gotta try to find a way to turn this off!" As she said this, a festering hand shot through the weakened windshield, shattering the glass and grabbing at her face. Roxy instinctively twisted the zombie's arm, hoping to break it. Instead, she wrenched it directly out of its socket and into her lap.

"Fuck!" cried Roxy in disgust as she tossed the arm aside. "Never mind the alarm, I'll be right behind you!"

Callie quickly scrambled to do as she was told. Clambering into the back, she wedged herself as firmly as possible into the foot space behind the passenger side seat. Roxy immediately followed, cramming herself behind the driver's seat.

As the first wave of zombies crawled in through the now shattered windshield, and the other windows were cracking beneath the onslaught, Roxy looked Callie in the eyes. Calliope read her gaze. _This might be it,_they said. This frightened her deeply. Roxy was supposed to be the brave one. She didn't get scared! A moment later, the one-armed zombie crawled over the seat divider., snapping its jaws viciously next to their heads.

Roxy, clearly not sure what she was doing, punched the monster in the temple. Its skull cracked as though it was made of clay, smearing blood and gray matter down the backs of the seats. Calliope couldn't tell whether the disease caused the skull to weaken or Roxy just had that strong a punch. All she knew was that she really, really wanted to throw up.

Their respite was brief, because another zombie broke through the left rear window, grabbing hold tightly of Roxy's hair. Roxy tried desperately to get a good grip or punch in on the slightly slimy arm, but the angle was all wrong. She grabbed hold of the seat to prevent being pulled out, but the pain in her scalp was excruciating.

Calliope wasn't certain when she had pulled out her magnum. All she knew was that she had it trained, shaking, on the creature's revolting skull. She could see how it may have been human once. A man, middle-aged with a bald spot. Glasses protecting his sagging eyeballs. He looked like he could have been someone's father, who would come home after a long day at work and play with the kids, or talk with the wife, or... or...

Calliope pulled the trigger, and the shot went wide, grazing the zombie on the shoulder. Automatically, she shot a second time, nearly grazing Roxy's right cheek.

She hesitated, worried she might harm her girlfriend. But Roxy was already head and shoulders out the window, clinging desperately to the back of the driver's seat as the zombie pulled her out toward the waiting horde. If she didn't take this risk, she would lose her beloved for certain. Holding her breath, she squeezed the trigger one more time.

The bullet hit the zombie directly between the eyes, snapping its glasses and puncturing it's skull. Gore sprayed forth, coating Roxy with putrid blood and flesh as she scrambled back to her position behind the driver's seat. Calliope's face went white, and her gun dropped from nerveless fingers. She had just shot someone. Someone who had once been a person, with a life, with a home, with dreams. She had looked him in the face and shot him in cold blood.

Roxy wiped the gore out of her eyes. "Thanks, Callie! I was thinkin' of gettin' that cut. Guess I shoulda done it while I still could, huh?"

Behind Calliope, glass shattered as another rotting hand reached down, this time for her. Roxy moved before Callie could, punching it in the skull. Callie could feel its cold contents sliding down her back. She couldn't think.

Roxy reached down and grabbed her magnum, holding it out to her handle first. "Here! You might want this!" As Calliope only continued to stare vacantly, Roxy tapped her insistently on the shoulder. "Hey, grilfriend, don't BSOD on me now. I need you!"

Calliope was startled by Roxy's use of the word "grilfriend". After years of practice speaking, Roxy's speech impediment was mostly gone, but it tended to return when she was stressed. Callie knew that she had to step up and pull her weight, as much as she could. With shaking hands, she took the gun, forcing her fingers to close around the handle. In a trance, she returned to shooting as the rear window shattered.

How long this went on Calliope couldn't tell. She seemed to be frozen in time, trapped in a hellish realm of blood and glass and sirens. A realm of her brother's creation.

Fortunately for the two survivors, as they shot the undead which climbed in through the windows, the zombies got stuck. This hindered others from getting past their fallen brethren, forcing them to tunnel through their bodies to get at their prize.

Unfortunately, the alarm continued to wail. Even as the effects of the Boomer Bile wore off, the Z's just kept coming. Roxy and Calliope huddled together, taking a moment to rest as the other zombies tried to work their way through.

Roxy glanced at Callie. "Hey. You okay?"

Calliope, still staring at nothing in particular, could only shake her head "no".

"Don't worry. We're gonna get outta this. We're gonna see Rosie, and Kanayna, and Jade. Everything's gonna be fine," Roxy murmured in her girlfriend's ear.

Just as she said this, the world tilted. Or rather, the vehicle did. The infected pounded on either side, rocking the car back and forth.

"Hold on, babe! This ride's gonna get rough!" said Roxy, gripping Calliope in one arm and the seat in the other hand. Calliope just grasped Roxy with all of her might.

The rocking became more and more intense. Back and forth the vehicle swayed, its occupants praying to whatever gods they still believed in that they'd make it out of this. Finally, with a massive metallic groan, the vehicle flipped. Up and down lost all meaning as the survivors fell to the roof beneath them in a trembling heap.

Terrified, exhausted, and covered in gore, the two lovers huddled together as far from the windows as they could get. The undead outside did not seem any closer to reaching them, but the alarm kept blaring, signaling any others in the area to investigate. Dully, Calliope realized that they really weren't getting out of this, no matter what Roxy said. They would either be trapped in the car until they starved, or the undead would get through and rip them to shreds.

Calliope nuzzled into the crook of her girlfriend's neck, trembling. If she had to die, she was at least glad she was with Roxy when it happened.

"Callie?" asked Roxy, voice wavering.

"Hmm?" the former Cherub murmured.

"I love you, babe," she whispered.

Calliope could feel something hot and wet hit the top of her head, and realized that Roxy was crying. Shoving aside her own emotions for a moment, she hugged her girlfriend, running her fingers through the crusty gore in her hair.

Their moment was interrupted by a distant buzzing sound cutting through the moaning of the horde. The two of them sat up, confused at this new turn of events.

"Is that...?" Roxy trailed off, listening intently.

The buzzing was promptly joined by a series of loud gunshots, one after another. _Who could that be?_ Calliope wondered, brain still whirling from recent events.

Roxy answered her unasked question immediately. "That's def a sniper rifle. It's gotta be Jade!" she cheered.

The buzzing grew louder, and Calliope could finally recognize it as the roar of a chainsaw.

"And Kanaya!" Roxy raised her voice to a yell. "Hey! We're in here!"

The people outside did not seem to hear them, as the chaos reached a new pitch. A bone-chilling _screech_ came from nearby.

"Hunter!" Rose's voice cried out. Jade's gun resounded sharply, and the screeching stopped.

The moaning, however, simply got louder. Calliope couldn't hear exactly what Rose was yelling, but she assumed it to be instructions. The _bang_ of Jade's gun and the_ roar_ of Kanaya's chainsaw blended together with the cries of the undead, until it was impossible to determine what exactly was going on. The two survivors could only hold each other and hope.

Eventually, the chaos seemed to die down. The moaning seemed to gradually quiet, and with it the sounds of combat. Finally, only the wailing car alarm could be heard. Calliope hoped her friends had won.

A sense of relief rushed through her as she heard Rose's voice.

"They appear to be lodged firmly in the windows, fortunately for the individuals inside. Here, PM, assist me in extricating the corpses."

"Hey, are you alright?" Jade yelled.

"Yeah! Yeah, we're both alive!" Roxy responded loudly, prompting Calliope to cover her ears.

"Calliope is inside with you, correct?" Kanaya queried.

"Yep, it's me and Callie!"

A gruesome _snap_ sounded from one of the corpses in the hind window as it was slowly pulled outside. PM crouched in it's place, her fragile smile a relief after the pained grimaces of the undead. She offered her hand, and Roxy motioned Calliope to take it. Finally, after what seemed like days of being trapped inside that hellish car, Calliope stood outside in the pale sunlight.

Twisted corpses marred the road as far as she could see. Dozens of undead lay headless in the scorching sunlight. The scent was unbearable.

Calliope promptly threw up. Behind her, she could hear Roxy doing the same thing, so she didn't feel too bad about it. A gentle hand rested between her shoulder blades, and as soon as she finished she looked up into the kindly face of Jade Harley.

"Are you done? Don't worry, I had the same reaction when I shot my first one. It's completely different from fighting imps!" she said, comfortingly.

"Th... thank you," was all Calliope could stammer. She looked behind her at Roxy, who appeared just as shaken and frightened as she was. Rose was speaking quietly to her, as PM looked on. Suddenly, Kanaya was at her side.

"Did either of you sustain any lacerations? If so, you will require medical immediate medical attention. While the illness does not have a one hundred percent infection rate, blood-to-blood contact may increase its likelihood exponentially."

"'Kay, my head's kinda spinnin' from all the craziness that just happened. What's she sayin'?" asked Roxy in a daze.

"She is saying that if any of your injuries are contaminated with the blood of the undead, there is a good chance you will become one." Rose explained. "You'd be wise to come with us. There is a rain barrel in the courtyard of the complex; we can use that to clean you up."

"Sounds hella good to me. I done enough bathin' in the brains of zmombies. Right, Calilope?"

Callie could only nod at Roxy's jumbled statement. As far as she was concerned, she was never, ever going outside again as long as she lived.

* * *

><p>The apartment complex was of a fancy, modern design. It was quite at odds with the traditional architecture of the old parts of DC, but fitting with the surrounding area. The building had two wings that formed a right angle. The courtyard was the inside of this angle, with a sturdy brick wall separating it from the road. Two guards flanked an elaborate arched gate in the wall's center, one of whom raised his gun upon seeing the two bedraggled survivors approach.<p>

"Hey, hey! No outsiders allowed! We've had enough problems from your kind!" he said threateningly. Roxy and Calliope stopped in their tracks, looking at each other nervously.

Fortunately, Rose was right behind them. "Relax, Tony. They're with us."

The man peered suspiciously at the two gore encrusted women, then glanced at Rose.

"Fine, Lalonde. If they're good by you, they're good by us. Get inside, you smell like a Boomer's ass."

As they stepped through the gate into the courtyard, Rose winked at Roxy. "Being the leader of the best scavenging team in the complex has its perks."

The courtyard was remarkably well-kept. With at least two devoted horticulturists among the survivors, the plants in the area were doing better than in the rest of the city. Flowers bloomed beside the walls and along the paths. Trees were relatively well-pruned. An elegant fountain, now dry, formed the decorative centerpiece of the space. A cobblestone path wound its way from the gate, around the fountain, to the entrance of the building. Other survivors were scattered here and there. Some stared at the newcomers, but most were engrossed in conversation with friends or napping, simply enjoying being outside without having to worry about getting attacked.

They were surprised when a short, skinny fellow in a ragged suit darted out of the building and flung himself at Calliope.

"Serenity, you made it! What a tremendous day!" he crowed, hugging the former Cherub tightly. Callie squirmed in his embrace but couldn't avoid grinning. "It's lovely to see you, too, WV!"

"Mr. Mayor, hows it goin'?" Roxy asked, sufficiently calmed down from her recent brush with death. "Everything orderly in Can Town?"

Without letting go of his old friend, WV turned to Roxy. "Well, there have been some complications with the citizens attempting to destroy the buildings and devour their contents," he puffed indignantly. "I must say, it's as though they have no sense of civic duty whatsoever!"

"Heh, never change, Mr. Mayor. Never change," Roxy chuckled.

"Dear, you're getting zombie blood all over your suit," PM chided. "You know we can't exactly go to the store and buy a new one."

WV recoiled from Calliope as though she were suddenly made of hot lead. "My beloved wife is right! How will I ever get such a vile liquid out of this formerly pristine fabric?"

"It's okay, WV. I'll help you with it later, as soon as Roxy and Serenity are done washing up," PM said consolingly.

"Oh, thank you so very, very much, Dear! I don't know what I would do without you! I really don't!" WV proceeded to hug PM, smearing her with the viscera he'd picked up from Calliope. She just gave him a Look.

"Terribly sorry! I don't know what I was thinking!"

Roxy didn't hear the rest of the conversation as she and Calliope were dragged off to the rain barrel beneath the gutter spout in the corner. It was nothing fancy, only a large trash bin placed in a strategic location, but it held water that the survivors could use for bathing. Curtains were strung up around the barrel, presumably for privacy.

Kanaya handed Roxy some soap and a towel. "Try to be thorough, but do not waste too much water. And please be certain not to get any blood in the supply; everyone has to use this barrel."

Roxy nodded, dropping her backpack outside the curtain. "Sure thing, Kanaya. I'll be done in a jiff. Brb!"

It was quite possibly the most exquisite bath Roxy had ever had. The water was frigid and cloudy, but a hot bubble bath could not even compare to getting the rancid gore cleansed from her face and hair. As she scooped water onto her aching body, she almost wanted to sing. She didn't, though, because she really sucked at it and there were six people standing outside listening.

When she finished, she toweled off, grabbed a change of clothes from her bag, and stepped out so Calliope could have a turn. As Callie began her bath, Kanaya bustled over with medical supplies. Taking Roxy's hands firmly, she scolded, "Where did you get these cuts on your fingers?"

Roxy had to think for a moment. The afternoon was just an unpleasant haze in her memory. "I think it was when I punched a zombie and its head exploded. Must've cut myself on the skull fragments."

Jade let out a quiet "Wow!" as Kanaya tutted, "That was incredibly unwise. These are deep cuts, and they have been contaminated by undead blood. There is a very good chance you will become infected."

The splashing behind the curtain ceased and Calliope poked her head out, panic in her eyes. "What was that? Roxy's infected?" she demanded, louder than she had intended.

Rose quickly shushed her. "Quiet, Calliope. The people here are wary of strangers. Rumors of infection tend to result in exile, or worse. Roxy will be fine. She is too resilient to fall to an illness such as this."

"Rose, I beg to differ!" insisted Kanaya. "While some have survived contaminated injuries, these are the exception, not the rule."

"Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!" whimpered Callie. "Roxy, you can't die!"

"Relax!" said Roxy. "I'm not dyin'. We can worry about that if it happens, but for now, let's just not panic. No need to get worked up!"

"Well, at least consider wearing thick gloves before you go decapitating the infected with your hands next time, Roxy," said Kanaya as she began treating the injuries.

"Will do!" replied Roxy cheerfully. "Ow!" she added as the stinging disinfectant took effect.

As Calliope hesitantly returned to her bath, Roxy changed the subject. "So, thanks for saving our asses. I really thought we were goners."

"You should primarily be thanking Jade," Rose suggested. "She's the one who spotted you."

Jade giggled. "Yeah, I was looking through my scope and saw you right when you got Boomer-Bombed. I recognized your hot pink car right away!"

"Boomer-Bombed?" Roxy repeated absently. "Is that what happened?"

"Well, that's what I call it!" Jade insisted. "I've seen it happen lots of times, unfortunately. You have to have your eyes open all the time when you're out there, Roxy!"

"Well, consider it a lesson learned!" said Roxy humbly.

Soon, Calliope was finished with her bath and dressed, and the seven friends were on their way upstairs to the top floor room of the complex where Rose and Kanaya lived. When Rose unlocked the door, Roxy smiled to see the familiar apartment greeting her. Elegant furniture covered by lavender and jade-colored fixtures drew the eye around the living room. A large bookcase sat in the back, creaking under the weight of the numerous heavy tomes residing there. In the corner, a potted plant thrived under Kanaya's care. The kitchen and dining room were immaculate, as always. Marble counter tops gleamed with cleanliness. The dark wood dining room table was covered with a beautiful lace cloth, with a bouquet of freshly-cut roses as the centerpiece.

Kanaya Maryam really knew how to throw a room together.

Taking in her surroundings, Roxy decided that if she had to be trapped somewhere in a zombie apocalypse, she was glad it was here. It was a little cramped, but she didn't mind since it meant her friends were near. And if her friends were near, Roxy would always be happy.


	3. Flirting With Disaster

**Chapter 3: Flirting With Disaster**

_The portal to the topmost chamber creaked open, dispatching a dire salutation to the master of magic waiting within. Calmasis preferred it this way. The best strategy of prevailing against zir former mentor was to strike fear into his heart. To be a great serpent leering hypnotically down upon a tremulous rabbit, relishing the horror in its eyes as it knew its ultimate moment had arrived._

_ Zazzerpan himself perched regally on the derelict throne, less akin to a terrified rabbit than an ravenous eagle. Calmasis faltered. Perchance s/he was to become the banquet tonight?_

_ "Does something perturb you, Calmasis?" Zazzerpan inquired. His emollient voice belied fathomless malice just beneath the surface of his tone. Calmasis discerned that the leader of the Complacency would be the paramount challenge s/he yet confronted; the colossus s/he must raze brick by brick with only the potency of zir bare hands._

_ "Why should I be frightened?" s/he responded dispassionately. "One by one your disciples challenged me, and one by one they fell."_

_ "But at what cost?" Zazzerpan's utterance reverberated throughout the colossal chamber, traversing the expanse to his erstwhile protoge and rebounding off the walls. Multitudinous voices returned, as though those Calmasis had murdered vocalized judgment from beyond the grave. "Each of your acolytes has succumbed to my traps. Eleven of the best and brightest minds known to wizardkind, now departed because you repined for supremacy."_

_ "It was never about supremacy, Zazzerpan. You recognize this. It was about survival."_

_ "Oh? And how do you conclude that?" Zazzerpan raised a grizzled eyebrow dubiously._

_ "You have become too powerful. Time and Space, Light and Void, even Life and Death bow before you. Though you have been benevolent so far, there is no reason to believe you will remain as such." Calmasis' androgynous face radiated coldness that could disquiet the reaper himself. "After all, when a hero has no one else to oppose, what is to constrain him from becoming a villain?"_

* * *

><p>Gentle twilight filtered through the window of the cluttered office as Rose finished yet another chapter of her elaborate story. She put her pencil down gently, stretched, and stood. As much as she loved writing, sitting hunched painfully in one spot for a long time was not fantastic for her back.<p>

Some fresh air would be nice. Rose counted herself very fortunate indeed that her apartment complex had a courtyard. It gave her options for leisure. If she squinted hard, options made it possible to pretend, for just a little while, that she was not trapped with two hundred other people in a building amidst a sea of walking corpses.

Opening the office door, she stepped into the neatly organized living room and smiled. Roxy and Calliope were sitting opposite each other at the coffee table, a battered chess set between them. They were engaged in yet another intense battle of strategy, one which Roxy was clearly destined to lose.

Sure enough, Calliope moved one of her pieces, grinned triumphantly, and smugly stated, "Checkmate!"

"Oh noes, I lost again. What'll I do? My reputation as a nerd is ruined forever!" Roxy threw an arm over her eyes in mock agony, and Calliope tittered.

"Now, now," she teased. "Not many can reach my level of skill when it comes to chess! I've been playing my whole life, you know! Would you like me to teach you where you went wrong?"

"Nah, I think I'd rather flip the board over and go hide in my room for the rest of the day cryin'." Roxy ribbed back.

"Oh, poor Roxy! No need to cry! Perhaps I should come in and cheer you up, hmm?" Callie fluttered her eyelashes coyly at her girlfriend.

"Well, I guess I wouldn't mind some company," said Roxy, winking (wonking?) seductively.

"A-hem," Rose cleared her throat, and the two women jumped, blushing furiously.

"Oh, hey Rosie, you wanna play chess?" Roxy recovered quickly.

Rose crossed her arms , feigning offense. "If by 'play chess' you mean 'flirt shamelessly', then no thank you. I just wanted to let you know I'm going out to get some fresh air."

Roxy sniggered. "More like you wanna go find Kanaya."

"Baseless accusation," Rose said, stone faced.

"She's out in the courtyard, in case you were wonderin'," Roxy winked again with no subtlety whatsoever.

"My wife is free to go wherever she wants without my permission. I am going out for completely unrelated reasons."

"Truly?" Calliope teased. "That's unfortunate. She was looking quite lonely! I'm quite sure she would enjoy your company."

"Well, if that is indeed the case, I just might go check in on her," Rose replied, brow furrowed with mock concern.

"You should totes do that. It's too nice a night to spend mopin' in the bushes for hours," urged Roxy playfully.

Rose smiled in reply. "Moping in the bushes, is she? Well, then, I should hasten to her side. I wouldn't want her to think I didn't care. Thank you for showing me the error of my ways."

"Don't mention it, Rosie! That's what family does!" Roxy grinned. "You go take care of the wife, 'k? We'll hold the fort up here!"

"I would be very much appreciative." With that, Rose swept dramatically out of the room.

She didn't see the enthusiastic thumbs up Roxy gave Calliope the moment she left.

* * *

><p>It was an unseasonably warm April night. Without the inhibiting effect of light pollution, the rapidly darkening sky began its show of thousands of stars. Off in the distance one could still hear the moan of the undead, but here in the courtyard the only sounds were of cheerfully chirping crickets and quiet laughter, as the people of the complex enjoyed the night breeze.<p>

As Rose stepped outside, she immediately scanned the crowd in search of her wife. A large cluster of residents stood in the center near the fountain, where the cooking fire roared at full strength. The cook was preparing some sort of stew, judging from the cans scattered about, and hungry survivors stood around hassling her and staring longingly at the boiling pot.

A large generator purred in the far corner, powering the lamps which bathed the courtyard in a gentle glowing light. The halls of the complex were lit, as well. Individual power usage was strictly regulated, but public areas stayed lit all night until curfew. Another perk of living in an apocalyptic community, Rose supposed. You definitely learned to appreciate the little things.

About halfway across the courtyard to her right, Jade and PM were playing some sort of ridiculous game as WV watched. A small crowd had formed to join him in observing the strange spectacle.

Jade had a stick in her hand, waving it in PM's face as the mail lady stared in rapt attention. "Are you ready?"

PM nodded eagerly.

"Alright, then! Three, two, one, _fetch!_" As Jade threw the stick, both she and PM took off after it. They sprinted over to where it had landed, PM getting there first due to her longer legs. This didn't stop Jade, however. She jumped for the prize PM was holding over her head, grabbing it and pulling it down with her. The two dog-women ended up in a playful tug-of-war, rolling around in the dirt, each trying to get the advantage. WV keeled over with laughter at their shenanigans as the crowd watched in a mix of confusion and amusement.

In the end, PM let Jade have the stick. Rose supposed PM still considered Jade her master in some ways. _If society ever rebuilds itself,_ Rose thought, _it may be worth it to publish a paper on the long-term psychological effects of prototyping._ Not that anyone would believe her in the first place.

She finally spied Kanaya pruning one of the bushes against the far wall. The former Troll seemed extremely wrapped up in her work, to an extent that she didn't even notice the bustling activity surrounding her. Rose approached, crossed her arms, and greeted her.

"So..."

Kanaya must have jumped at least ten feet, dropping her clippers in the process. Whirling around, she finally spotted her sneaky wife. She exhaled loudly, a hand over her heart, and responded.

"Rose! You frightened me!"

"I apologize, Kanaya. How am I expected to greet you when you are "in The Zone," as they say?" Rose inquired.

"Perhaps you could make more noise as you approach next time," replied Kanaya, feeling around on the shadowy ground for her lost pruners.

"I know from prior experience that blundering through the grass like a blind Ogre would not help at all," Rose stated as she bent over to help in the search. "When you're gardening you are lost to the world."

"I suppose that is correct. Perhaps I should pay more attention to my surroundings. It is simply so nice not to worry about the state of the world, I can't help myself. Ah! There they are!" She held up the errant clippers triumphantly.

"This is true. I feel the same with my writing. Escapism is truly valuable in times such as these." Rose straightened, brushing off her skirt. As an afterthought, she reached over and brushed off Kanaya's as well.

"Anyway, that is not what I'm here to discuss," Rose continued. "I have it on good authority that you have been moping for the last several hours."

"And whose authority would that be?" Kanaya arched an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Roxy's."

"I would warn you against taking Roxy's authority seriously on anything. While she is quite intelligent, she can often get the wrong idea about people." A thought seemed to occur to her. "Unless, of course, you are merely being sarcastic again."

Rose winked slyly, but said nothing.

"Ah, I see. I must apologize. You took me so off guard, I didn't even think of the possibility that you might not be sincere," Kanaya said. "Really, I should know better by now."

"It's alright, Kanaya. We all have our off days." Rose patted her wife gently on the shoulder, letting her know all was well. Kanaya smiled warmly in return.

After a minute or so of standing there in silence, enjoying the night air as well as each others' company, Rose asked, "So may I ask why you feel the need to prune your garden at eight-thirty at night?"

"I was simply bored. The rose bush didn't particularly need trimming, but it gave me something to do. Again, escapism."

Rose nodded. "It looks exquisite. You really do have a way with horticulture."

Kanaya bent down and pulled one of the tiny buds close so that she could look at it. "This seems to be a particularly good year for roses in general. I imagine it will look absolutely divine in about a month." She sighed. "At least one thing retains its beauty in this harsh, unforgiving world.

"I don't know, Kanaya. I think the world still has plenty of resplendence." Rose carefully snapped off one of the larger buds that was just barely starting to show its red petals. Minding the thorns, she gingerly placed the stem behind Kanaya's ear, then looked into her eyes.

"Now that," she said, "is true beauty."

Kanaya blushed furiously. "Oh my, Rose..."

"What do you say we find something to do to stave off your boredom, hmm?" Rose gently took Kanaya's hand.

"Oh! Well... that... sounds good." Kanaya stammered. Rose really did love flustering her wife. She was always so put-together, it was nice to see her let her defense down once in a while. Show off that she was human, just like everyone else (or at least, she was now).

Rose made off toward the entrance of the building, tugging Kanaya along with her. "Then let's go enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

They were halfway across the courtyard when a chugging, sputtering noise started up in the corner. Looking across the shadowy garden, Rose spotted the generator letting off smoke and sparks. It vibrated, getting faster and faster. Finally, with a flash of flame, it exploded. The edges of the courtyard were plunged into darkness.

The resulting sound was deafening. A resounding _bang_ spread outwards, rattling windows across half the city. Echos threw themselves back and forth between the buildings for several seconds until at last, mercifully, all went silent.

Rose stood stock still, squeezing Kanaya's hand tightly and hardly daring to breathe. The other survivors were likewise silent, listening for the tell-tale sounds of the undead on the move. Outside the flickering light of the cooking fire, blackness surrounded them on all sides. It seemed to amplify even the most minute sound attempting to make its way to them, down to a rat rustling around in a garbage can beyond the wall.

Out of the darkness came a moan. Following it was another, and another, and then ten chorusing together. The longer one listened, the louder they became. Soon a cacophony of auditory chaos surrounded the hapless survivors. Rose suddenly remembered what she had hoped to forget: they were trapped here, and no one was coming to save them.

"Everyone get inside! Now!" she demanded authoritatively over the din. Though the group of survivors had no one true authority, Rose's status as leader of the best scavenging team in the complex granted her some clout. Without needing to be asked twice, everyone in the courtyard made a mad dash for the darkened building.

Rose and Kanaya remained behind, making sure everyone was out of the courtyard before deigning to enter themselves. As the last man darted inside, the noise around the building reached a fever pitch. Rose hesitated for only a moment to glance at the outer wall, just as the first Infected leaped over. Screeching in unison, two Hunters landed on all fours in the flower garden. They crawled stealthily toward their prey.

Rose knew they couldn't remain outside any longer. Two Hunters were more than enough to finish them both off.

"Kanaya, let's go!" Rose yelled, and darted inside. Her wife was right behind her. Just as she crossed the threshold, one of the Hunters unleashed another piercing _screech_. Rose slammed the door, and a loud _thunk_ resounded from the other side of the thick metal as the creature impacted. In the safety of the building, she shuddered, realizing just how close Kanaya had come to being mauled.

The entrance hall was pitch black; any light from the campfire outside was blocked by the scrap sheets of metal covering all of the windows. The room rustled with invisible commotion. Survivors whispered to each other as they stumbled around in the darkness. A man swore loudly as someone stepped on his foot. Someone tipped over a lamp, which came falling to the ground with a _crash_. The sudden noise resulted in more panic, and the sound level mounted to mirror the discordance outside.

Rose gritted her teeth. At this rate, the panic would soon become uncontainable. She needed to calm everyone down. The quieter they were, the more likely the undead were to forget about them and leave them alone. And the last thing she needed was a stampede of scared survivors.

Someone had to grab their attention. "Excuse me!" she said, loudly but firmly. The commotion only continued, voices interspersed with chaos.

_"That was my foot, asshole!"_

_"What was that sound?"_

_"Are they inside? Oh, God, they're inside, aren't they?"_

Rose repeated herself a little louder. _"Excuse me!"_

Still, no one paid attention.

_"We're all going to die!"_

_"It's too dark, I'm gonna freak out!"_

Finally, Rose snapped. _"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN TO ME!"_

The chaos continued, only louder for her efforts. What on Earth or Alternia did Karkat see in that method?

_"ARF, ARF, ARF!"_ Somewhere in the room, a dog barked. All noise and movement ceased abruptly as everyone froze in terror. The only sound came from the zombies outside, pounding feebly on the walls of the building.

Rose was startled for a moment, herself. Had one of the undead dogs gotten in somehow? Then, she remembered to whom that bark belonged. She took the opportunity that silence offered.

"Thank you, Jade," Rose spoke loudly and clearly, trying to keep her words simple. "There is no need to panic, everyone. If we keep calm and use our heads, we can get out of this alive."

"Lalonde, half the city must have heard that generator go off. We're fucked!" yelled Tony the Guardsman from the back.

"The explosion was indeed loud, and there are surely innumerable infected outside. But so long as we remain inside with the doors bolted, there is no way they can reach us. If we stay quiet, they will most likely leave around daybreak," Rose counseled.

"What about Lickers, then? They could come in through the upper windows!" challenged a woman nearby.

"We can handle Lickers. There are very few in the first place, and a couple of shots will drop them quickly," argued Rose.

Weighing her options, Rose came up with a crude plan.

"Here are my suggestions. First, everyone should stay calm and return to their apartments. Notify anyone inside of the situation, and gather any weapons, first aid supplies, and light sources you can find. No open flames, please.

"Then, we should meet in the fifth floor lobby. It is wide enough for combat, so we can use that to our advantage. Set your light sources up so as much of the room is illuminated as possible. Once everyone is upstairs, we will block off all three stairwells at the fourth floor, and the elevator in the lobby.

"Children, the elderly, the infirm, or anyone else unable to fight should take refuge on the top floor. It's also a good spot for snipers, so I ask that residents allow them access to their apartments. We should block the stairwells there as well, once everyone is in place.

"Finally, be as quiet as possible. We want to avoid combat if we can. Snipers, please save your ammo for Tanks. They're the biggest threat here."

Some people moved immediately to do as they were told, feeling along the walls for the stairwells and exiting the room. Others remained in place.

"Who died and made you Queen of the Apocalypse?" The rough voice came from an unpleasant fellow named James Walton, and Rose had to keep from sighing out loud. She knew she would meet resistance.

"No one, but this plan makes the most sense. Unless you would care to volunteer another. Please, I'm all ears!" Rose said testily.

For a moment there was no answer. Then Walton grumbled, "Fine, fine, we'll do it your way. Controlling bitch." With that, he left for his apartment, and the others filtered out after him.

"Jade, PM, WV. Would you remain here and assist me in moving furniture to cover the doors?" The pounding outside was becoming more urgent.

"Sure thing, Rose!" said Jade enthusiastically. The three friends stumbled their way across the dark room, bumping into furniture. They took the opportunity to pick it up and carry it to the door where Rose and Kanaya were waiting.

"Do you happen to know the whereabouts of Roxy and Calliope?" Kanaya asked her wife fretfully.

Rose squeezed her shoulder to calm her. "The last time I saw them, they were having a spirited game of chess upstairs. There is no reason to think they may have ventured outside."

"You are certain? By the sound of it, going outside would be certain death," Kanaya worried.

"Positive. There is no need for concern," said Rose.

With Kanaya's fears appeased, all conversation ceased as they focused on moving the necessary furniture in the dark. They had to remain in constant communication in order to work together.

"Hey, this couch would make a good barrier! Help me lift it, Rose?"

"Of course, Jade. Please wait a moment while I find you."

"Oh, fiddlesticks!"

"WV, what's wrong?"

"I dropped this coffee table on my foot!"

"You shouldn't try to lift furniture on your own, Dear. Let me help."

"Oh, thank you, PM! You save the day yet again!"

They had only worked for a few minutes before rapid gunfire erupted several floors up. Rose dropped the corner the coffee table she and the Mayor were moving with a _thud_, glancing in the direction of the ominous sound.

"What now?" she asked with exasperation.

"I bet some Lickers got inside. Should we go check?" Jade suggested, voice calm and cheerful.

"Kanaya and I will go. The rest of you finish up here and meet us on the fifth floor." Rose brooked no argument. Feeling her way through the blackness of the cavernous lobby, she made her way to the stairway, Kanaya right behind her.

Climbing the stairs in the dark was a harrowing ordeal. Both women tripped several times on their journey upward, listening to the sound of battle growing closer with each stumbling step. Finally, they reached the correct floor.

"Hmm. Fifth floor. I don't know whether this is fortuitous or not," said Rose as she pushed open the heavy metal door to the lobby.

The room was in chaos. In the half-light provided by what lanterns and flashlights the survivors could gather, Rose saw numerous dark shapes flitting around. The people panicked, darting back and forth and discharging their guns without regard for safety. Baffled at what might have them in such a frenzy, she finally spotted small, light creatures flying back and forth through the semi-darkness. One dove, cawing loudly, to attack the scalp of a hapless woman in the middle of the room. She ducked down as far as she could, swatting furiously at her aggressor. A man nearby, presumably her husband, swung a croquet mallet at the feathery assailant. With a _crack_, the bird flew limply across the room into the shadows.

"Cease firing immediately! You are more likely to hit an ally than a crow!" Rose's shout was swallowed by the din. She had been afraid of this. Panic would likely be their death, not zombies.

A crow skimmed the air just above her head, and Kanaya yelled in pain.

"Kanaya!" Rose cried with concern.

She heard her wife's footsteps moving off rapidly. Moments later, a muffled chainsaw revved up several feet away. Rose was glad Jade had designed a silencer for it. Otherwise, Kanaya might have attracted even more unwanted attention.

Rose turned in the direction of the sound, prepared to go and help if she could, but some strange instinct stopped her. Sure enough, something darted just centimeters in front of her nose with a sharp _thwip_, embedding itself deeply in the door beside her. Rose raised her needles defensively, looking around for her elusive attacker. She spotted it crawling on the ceiling through a flickering circle of brightness cast by a discarded flashlight.

It looked very much like a skinned human, with bloody muscles revealed and flexing with coiled tension. Huge claws anchored it to the ceiling above her, showering the area beneath it with particles of fallen plaster. A hideous, eyeless head was turned at an improbable angle toward her. Its razor-filled maw discharged a slimy, rope-like tongue that extended into the darkness in her direction. That tongue is what gave the creature its name: Licker.

Recoiling its appendage with a second _thiwp_, it ceded its vantage point. Knife-like claws released the plaster, and it flopped to the darkened ground with a disgusting squelching noise. Though she couldn't see it, Rose could sense it crawling closer. She fumbled for her pistol, realizing that she was playing into the panic just as much as the others.

One advantage she had over them, however, was her status as a Seer. While she was certainly no longer a god, and she could no longer predict the future with great clarity, she was gifted on occasion with insight that others lacked. All she had to do was trust her gut.

Pulling the trigger, a pained growl rewarded her as she hit the beast. She shot again, this time without avail.

Her nerves screamed at her to duck. She did so, just as she felt the air move just inches above her head. Though she could not see, she knew she had just avoided getting impaled through the skull by the Licker's tongue.

_Shoot. Miss. Shoot. Hit._ The battle went on for over a minute, each assailant taking it in turns to attack. Rose winced as the tongue shot just past her leftshoulder, grazing the skin. From the angle of the attack, she finally got a good idea of the Licker's position, and she fired several times. Her reward was dying growl as the Licker moved its last.

"Rose! Was that a Licker? Please tell me you are unharmed!" Kanaya shouted from her place several feet away.

"Yes, but I'm fine. It is only a scratch," Rose reassured her wife as she moved carefully in the direction of her voice. "What about you?"

"I have suffered a number of abrasions, but nothing debilitating." With Kanaya's response Rose finally reached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Good. We can treat you as soon as this debacle is over. We will both be fine."

Fortunately, the chaos seemed to be dying down. After a final gunshot, the room lapsed into exhausted silence.

Rose took Kanaya's hand and made for the nearby flashlight. Picking it up, she cast its pale beam upon her wife, who winced at the sudden brightness.

Kanaya's face was covered in ugly-looking scratches and smudged with congealing blood. Rose gasped at the sight, but Kanaya simply shook her head.

"They are not as dire as they appear. I will take care of them later. Now please, allow me to see the flashlight so that I may check your wound?"

"Of course," Rose said hesitantly as she handed her wife the light. Now that she was the object of its focus, she could no longer see Kanaya's face, which she supposed she was grateful for. Mild or not, it pained her to see her beloved injured.

Kanaya examined the cut on Rose's shoulder. It was deeper than any of Kanaya's, leaking a trickle of blood but still fairly shallow. The former Troll sighed in relief as she gave the light back to Rose. "It does not appear to be too bad. Simply take care not to get anything in it before we can treat it properly."

"Of course," she said. Now that she and her wife were taken care of, she swung the flashlight out over the milling crowd.

Most of them looked like Kanaya, with cuts of various depths marring their features. This could be bad. Crows were one of the most notorious carriers of the virus, so if the injured were not treated soon, they would likely have an outbreak on their hands.

They paled compared to the wounds suffered by the Licker's victims, however. One woman leaned tiredly against the wall, a deep hole in her shoulder seeping blood all the way down her arm. A worried man attended her, trying to stop its flow with rags torn from his battered shirt. Even in the circle cast by the flashlight, she looked pale.

Another victim lay moaning quietly, bleeding out through a gruesome hole in his abdomen. A younger woman, possibly his daughter, held his hand, crying softly.

Kanaya snatched the flashlight from Rose. "Doctor Kromwell!" she yelled, hurrying over.

Rose frowned as she was plunged into darkness. Kanaya had apprenticed under Kromwell as a nurse for the past month, learning the trade so she could save as many lives as possible. If he died, they would have to rely on Kanaya for medical assistance. And while Rose respected her wife greatly, she doubted she was ready for doctor's work.

Rose only had time to ponder for a moment. She winced as someone beamed a flashlight directly into her eyes.

"OMG, it's Rose! You're OK! Holy shit!" a familiar voice crowed. She was swiftly gathered into a constricting hug.

"Hello, Roxy," managed Rose by way of greeting. Being squeezed was definitely not conducive to talking, so it came out strained.

"Roxy, perhaps you ought to let her go?" Calliope's British accented voice came from nearby. "I know from personal experience that your greetings can be quite painful."

"Oh, sorry!" Roxy immediately let her relative go. "I was just really freaked out. First there was that boom, then the Z's started actin' up, and you'd just gone outside and all, Rose. Then we came downstairs to investigate, everyone was flippin' their shit and shooting everywhere. I'm pretty sure I saw a fucking Licker on the ceiling, but I'm not sure."

"There was," Rose said calmly. "I took care of it."

"See, that's why you're so kickass, Rose! Freakin' tentacle tongue monster crawls up on you and you're like, 'Whatever' and just shoot that motherfucker down."

"I assure you, it wasn't that easy. Anyway, are either of you harmed?" asked Rose.

"We both got some scratches from those brainless feathery assholes, but nothin' big," Roxy reassured her. "So where are the others? Jade and PM and the Mayor?"

"I left them downstairs to barricade the doors. They should be here momentarily."

Sure enough, the heavy metal doors to the stairwell flew open, slamming against the walls. "Rose, are you there?" called Jade worriedly.

"I'm here. Please refrain from slamming the doors. We are trying to stay quiet," Rose cautioned her.

"Oh, right, sorry!" Jade said, embarrassed. Then, "What happened up here?"

"Licker and crows decided to pop in and visit," Roxy replied.

"Oh, hi, Roxy!" Jade greeted her cheerfully. "Is everyone alright?"

"We're all fine. Now let's work together to get everyone ready in case some real trouble starts up," said Rose. "Jade, would you be willing to lead the snipers on the tenth floor? Make sure any noncombatants are up there and the stairwells and elevator shaft are sealed. Remember, don't fire unless a Tank attacks. PM and WV, go with her to serve as backup in case of a security breach."

"Sure thing, Rose! Good luck and stay safe!" Jade took her leave just as quickly as she had arrived.

"Now to organize the troops," said Rose.

"Could I have everyone's attention, please?" she called out to the room. The low murmur of conversation ceased, each person listening carefully. It was a testament to how lost they were that they were even willing to listen to Rose.

"I would like to say, you all did very well during the attack. Casualties appear to have been minimal, and I would like to keep it that way. First, I need volunteers to assist me in blocking off all of the stairwells and the elevator shaft. Are all noncombatants and snipers upstairs?"

Silence was her only response.

"Good. If anyone of either group remains, now is your chance to get upstairs. They will be blocking it off shortly. As for the rest of you, I will need volunteers to help block the stairwells on the fourth floor and barricade the doors and elevator. This whole level needs to be sealed off."

There was some resentful muttering from across the room, particularly from Walton, but even the dissenters saw the logic in Rose's plan. Really, what else could they do?

"Kanaya, would you perhaps spearhead the medical effort?" asked Rose.

"Though I am new in the post-apocalyptic medical field, I shall do my utmost to care for any injured fighters. I will be in Apartment 515 if anyone should need treatment." Kanaya took her leave.

"Good. That is all I have to say for now. If anything changes, I shall let you know. Meanwhile, let's get to work," said Rose, and there was a flurry of activity as the survivors got started.


	4. How to Train Your Tank

**Chapter 4: How to Train Your Tank**

As she was placing the final touches on the lobby stairwell, Rose jumped as she heard a violent metallic _crash_ drift up from the courtyard. She froze. It sounded suspiciously like a Tank breaking down the courtyard gates. She prayed to Oglogoth that it wasn't a Tank breaking down the courtyard gates.

A young man at the window turned to Rose with terror and yelled, "Lalonde, a Tank just broke down the courtyard gates!"

_Well, fuck._

She dashed to the window with trepidation. Sure enough, the gates hung mangled and useless off their hinges, and hundreds of undead poured slowly into the courtyard. At the head of the advancing horde was a pale creature with bulging muscles, slightly taller than an average man. It looked much like a lumpy gorilla. It even moved like one, running swiftly on lopsided knuckles like an animal. The brute hastened across the darkened yard toward the door, ground quaking in its footsteps. Though they were not particularly large, Tanks were certainly heavy. Unfortunately, they were also very fast.

Before Rose could confirm the Tank sighting to the anxious survivors, gunshots ripped through the still night air. Rose smiled; Jade always hit her target. Following their leader's example, the other snipers lined up their sights. More shots rang from above, a rain of bullets peppering the musclebound Infected far below.

The Tank staggered briefly, blood coating its pale skin in splotches, then continued its trek toward the apartment's undefended entrance. In seconds it was at the door, out of range of the snipers.

Rose could only hope they had weakened it enough that her ragtag troops could take it down quickly.

The fire in the courtyard far below burned to faint embers beneath the stampeding feet of dozens of zombies, surrendering the courtyard to darkness. There was no need to sit here and watch; the thunderous pounding on the reinforced metal doors told Rose everything she needed to know.

She turned to the other survivors, who were breaking into a panic. She raised her voice as high as she could, shouting uncharacteristically over the din. "Everyone sit down, shut up, and get your firearms out!"

The din only grew louder. She thought she heard a "Fuck you, Lalonde!" coming from an irate Walton in the back. It was clear she wasn't getting through to them.

Rose sighed with frustration. Jade wasn't here to bail her out this time. Suddenly, she sensed two people flanking her.

"What do you think we should do, Rose?" asked Roxy. "Gonna make an inspirational speech? Leonidas the shit outta these peeps?"

Calliope, on Rose's other side, trembled silently.

"There's not much we can do now, I'm afraid. The people will have to fend for themselves if they are unwilling to listen to reason."

"Fuck that, I ain't givin' up on them!" Roxy said stubbornly.

"Roxy, what exactly are you..." She was cut off by the deafening sound of Roxy's rifle, firing into the air. For a moment her ears rang.

When her hearing returned the room was silent save for Roxy's enthusiastic voice. "Look, guys. I know you're all freakin' out, but shit's gonna get even worse if you all try to handle yourselves. Like, you know in the horror movies, characters are all like 'Hey let's split up'? And you're like 'Don't do that you shitheads, there's gonna be a massacre!' That's us right now. We gotta work together if we don't wanna become zombie chow."

"We're all going to die!" some fool shouted from the back of the room. "Why fight it?"

"'Course you're all gonna die, it's the human condition. But it don't gotta be today! You gotta step it up. Lots of you got family upstairs. Who's gonna stop the Z's from getting 'em if you lay down 'n die now?"

"There's no chance of winning against that thing!" said a woman near the elevator.

"We gotta try, right? I mean, I sure as hell didn't survive this long just so I could die here. What do you got to lose?"

The survivors had no response to this.

"You can either run around like cats with your tails on fire and die, or you can work with us to beat this thing like a Persian rug and have a chance of livin'. I know what I choose!" Roxy concluded her speech.

The only sound was the distant pounding of the complex doors. After a moment, Tony the Guardsman spoke up.

"So, what do you want us to do, Lalonde?"

Rose smiled. She supposed she'd underestimated Roxy's abilities as a leader. A foolish error, considering she'd kept the Alphas together during their session.

"First we listen. Let's find out the route this Tank's going to take to get up here, assuming it even gets inside. When it reaches one of the barricades, I want everyone's guns out and pointed at the door as it is trying to come through. If it breaches the barrier, fire with everything you have. Pass around any lanterns and flashlights so that we can see what we're doing and not shoot each other.

"There will likely be other Infected following it. Unless you are in immediate danger, ignore them. There are too many to make an indent upon their numbers. Focus on the Tank.

"When it's dead, everyone should retreat upstairs. The weaker undead should have difficulty getting through the metal doors off the stairwells, so you will have some measure of safety. Then find an apartment and barricade yourself inside. After that, it's up to fate."

As soon as she was done giving orders, a loud _crash_ resounded from downstairs. Several people screamed, but no mass panic erupted.

"It's in. Listen for which stairwell it chooses," said Rose calmly.

The terrified survivors received their answer shortly as they heard the doors on the downstairs stairwell entrance slam off their hinges with a _clang._

Several people whimpered, Calliope included.

"It's coming up the central stairs. Everyone get into position, aim your guns at the lobby door. Here, let's get these lights positioned," Rose suggested.

The survivors were jumpy, but they did as they were told. They dispersed lanterns and flashlights so that they had some uniform sense of what was going on in the room. Then, they got into position and waited.

They listened tensely as the Tank rushed up the stairs. It seemed only seconds before it arrived. _Wham_. The lobby doors vibrated with its weight as it slammed into them from the other side. Furniture fell from where it was piled against the doors, and no one got up to replace it. There was no point; if the Tank wanted inside, it was going to get what it wanted no matter what.

"Stay calm and aim," Rose ordered. Clicks echoed throughout the room as guns of all types were readied for combat. Several people were on the verge of panic. Rose could hear Calliope hyperventilating somewhere behind her, and Roxy trying to soothe her. "Don't worry, babe. We've gotten outta worse situations," she said.

_Wham_. The doors budged again under the Tank's strength, but still held. Several pieces of furniture shattered with a resounding _crack_, further weakening the barrier between the survivors and death.

"Steady..." said Rose. She tried to keep her own panic out of her voice. There was a very good chance she would die tonight, and this universe didn't allow second chances. Several people were outright crying, and Rose could hear a man praying the _Hail Mary_.

_WHAM_. With an ear-splitting roar, the Tank finally shattered the barricade. Shrapnel from destroyed furniture flew everywhere, and the two doors slammed against the walls and fell from their hinges. It was here.

It stood slightly taller than a man, hunched over with vertebrae showing beneath the skin. Its arms were absolutely massive, with bulging muscles that would make Lord English jealous. Hands the size of watermelons supported its weight, claw-tipped fingers curled beneath. All of this was offset by a normal-sized head and legs, giving it the illusion that it was even larger that it was. Its pale skin was covered in scars and bleeding lesions, and the only garment it wore was a tattered pair of jeans.

The Tank and the survivors stared each other down for a split second. Then the Infected took action, charging forward toward the crowd.

"_FIRE!"_ yelled Rose, perhaps more panicked than she meant. The room was filled with deafening gunfire, peppering the brute with bloody holes all across its front. By the time it reached the first row of survivors, not a single inch of its front remained unbloodied. It slowed for all of a second before plowing onward. The rage of a Tank could not be stopped.

As the undead juggernaut sprinted toward her, Rose dodged out of the way. The woman behind her caught the full force of its fist. From where she stood five feet away, Rose could hear the victim's ribs shatter with a sickening _crack_ as the unfortunate survivor flew across the room. She hit the far wall with a dull _thud_, slumping to the ground motionless. She was either dead, or wishing she was.

The Tank turned, heading to the opposite side of the room from Rose. As it went it scattered the lanterns and flashlights the survivors had so meticulously set out, throwing the room into a maelstrom of light and shadow. As it passed through one of the bright sections of the room, Rose took the opportunity to aim her pistol at the creature. Every little bit of damage counted when it came to downing a Tank.

An ear-piercing shriek rent the air. Before Rose could pull the trigger, a 140 pound zombie slammed into her, pinning her to the ground on her back. Rose mentally cursed herself. She'd forgotten about the Hunters.

The creature's pale face was inches from hers. Its sightless eyes oozed blood inches from her brow, and its needle-like teeth were bared in a frightening grimace. Rose struggled to free herself, but the Hunter would have none of it. In a deft movement, it slashed a claw across her stomach, leaving four deep parallel gashes in its wake. Rose cried out and struggled harder.

_Bam_. Suddenly the Hunter's head was reduced to a gory stump, spraying blood all down Rose's front. From somewhere to Rose's left she could hear Roxy cheering.

"_BOOM_! Headshot!" she cried elatedly. As she stood there pumping her fist in the air, two lithe, decaying arms shot out around her throat, pulling her backwards. Rose took careful aim at her savior's captor and shot. It, too, was minus a head.

Roxy stood up from where she had fallen and grinned at Rose. Rose only raised an eyebrow and smirked. "What was this about headshots you mentioned?"

"Heh, must be genetic!" conceded Roxy. She reached out to help Rose to her feet. Rose winced at the new wounds she'd acquired, but stood steadily.

They had no time to celebrate. The room continued shaking as the Tank thundered in their direction. Calliope came darting past, magnum held in a death grip, and leaped behind her companions in hopes of safety.

_"Don't let it get me don't let it get me don't let it get me!"_ she gasped with terror.

Rose and Roxy stood side by side firing their weapons, prepared to leap away at a moment's provocation should the Tank get too close. At the last second, it swerved, choosing instead to target a man to its right. They could hear his collarbone shatter as the Tank punched him. This time, instead of hitting a wall, the survivor crashed through a large, floor to ceiling window with the force of the blow. Tragically, the man went falling to his death in the courtyard five stories below.

Now the Tank turned to Rose, Roxy, and Calliope and charged. The three dodged at the last moment. The Tank stumbled straight past, colliding with the doors to the hallway and flattening them as it continued running due to momentum. Rose, Roxy, and even Calliope used the opportunity to shoot the creature while its back was turned. There was no sign of it flagging, though every inch of it was covered in blood.

"Boomer!" a terrified voice resounded from across the room. The three women dodged out of the doorway to look. Indeed, a corpulent Infected riddled with tumors waddled into the room, bile dripping from its mouth.

"Whatever you do, don't-" Rose started, but she was cut short by the bang of a gun. The Boomer exploded into small, bloody bits, getting its bile over half of the people in the room. "-shoot it." Rose finished uselessly.

The horde that was backed up down the stairwell burst into a murderous frenzy at the scent of the Boomer Bile. Howling, they clawed at each other to get at the gooey survivors, who shied back as far from the stairs as they could go.

They needn't have bothered. The zombies that were already in the room bore down upon the panicked masses. Rose tried not to listen too closely to their dying screams as she took aim and tried to down as many undead as possible. By her side, Roxy joined her.

The rest of the survivors fled, running down the halls for the distant south and east stairwells. Those who tried the latter were stopped by the Tank, which came charging back down the corridor directly at them. It grabbed one of the downed survivors, slamming him repeatedly into the wood floor until splinters mingled with its victim's blood. All the while, Rose, Roxy, and Calliope split their attention between the Tank and the horde, trying to save as many lives as possible.

Finally, the Tank tired of its toy, and set its sights on the women shooting it from the lobby. It sprinted towards them with the speed characteristic of its kind, shaking the walls with each step.

The three dodged out of the way just in time. Roxy and Calliope went left, while Rose went right, toward the windows.

Having chosen its new target, the Tank swerved after Rose. She ran until she hit the wall, then dodged right and ran some more. The creature bore down upon her, just at her heels.

After running about half the length of the room, Rose stumbled to a halt near the large broken window that opened to the dark void outside. One of the survivors had dropped a powerful flashlight, which cast its brilliance directly out into the night. With this light, she could see the wall of undead facing her. The Boomer Bile had worn off, and now they reached out with decaying limbs for a new target, mouths agape with resounding moans. Rose glanced behind her at the Tank thundering toward her. She heard Roxy and Calliope shooting, trying to get her our of her predicament, but the Tank would not die, and the zombies were too numerous. She was on her own.

_After all I've been through, am I to die here, trapped between a Tank and an undead horde?_ she thought to herself.

No. If she was going out, it would be on her terms. She pulled out her knitting needles.

Rose dashed toward the Tank. She dodged its devastating punch and, in a single, deft motion, plunged one needle into each eye. The Tank roared and drew back in pain, pulling the yarn taut. Taking advantage of this, Rose used the momentum to swing herself up onto the Tank's back. Here she balanced, fighting the rapid movements of its muscles beneath her feet, yarn held in each hand like reins.

_It appears I've still got it,_ Rose thought to herself.

In the background, she could hear Roxy screaming at her. "Holy fuck, Rose! No!" Ignoring her, Rose yanked the yarn in her left hand, pulling it tight. The Tank roared again, staggering left as it tried to alleviate the pain. It bumped the wall, which groaned under the Infected's weight. She then pulled both strands, and the Tank howled once more, stumbling forward and knocking the lesser zombies out of the way.

In the powerful beam of a discarded flashlight, she could see the yawning hole of the shattered window directly to her left. Beyond was a five-story drop to the pitch-black courtyard below. She heard both of her friends yelling now, frantically begging her not to do it. As per usual, she ignored them. Yanking on the left string, the Tank tottered the few feet toward the hole. It balanced precariously on the edge for a second, flailing its arms to keep balance, before finally dropping into the void below.

At the last second, Rose released the reins and reached out a hand in a last-ditch attempt to survive. To her gratitude, she snagged the bottom edge of the window. She hung limply from the side of the building as the Tank fell. The colossal, earth-shaking ithud/i as the Tank hit the ground was quite possibly the sweetest noise she had ever heard.

Rose swung her other arm upward, grabbing the floor above her with her other hand, as well. Bracing her feet against the outer wall, she prepared to hoist herself up to safety. She was cut short when something tread on her hand. Crying out, she released the ledge, hanging one-handed once again.

The zombie who had introduced its foot to Rose's hand stared down at her, arms outstretched. It took a step into midair, and Rose could feel the air rush past her as it went plunging down behind her into the courtyard below. Soon, another approached. It, too, stepped off the precipice. One by one, the undead came to Rose, arms outstretched in hopes of another victim. One by one they fell.

Suddenly, Rose felt something grab her ankle, digging its nails into her skin. She looked down into the dead eyes of a fortunate Infected which had managed to escape the bone-shattering fall. It snapped its teeth viciously at her, but was unable to lift itself high enough to bite her foot.

As for Rose, the effort to remain clinging to the ledge became unbearable with the addition of the dead weight. Her arm burned with exhaustion, fingers aching with her desperate attempt to survive.

_I certainly hope Roxy and Calliope finish whatever they are doing and come assist me soon,_ she thought to herself. Dimly, she could hear gunfire coming from the room above her, but it did not come anywhere near the window.

Rose felt her strength draining. After everything that had happened tonight, all she wanted was to rest. One by one, each finger released the ledge. Thumb, then pinky, then ring finger. She felt her remaining digits start to buckle.

_Bang_! Rose heard a splatter beneath her, and the undead released her ankle. Looking up to the top floor, she thought she could see the glint of a flashlight against a pair of round glasses, and she grinned. She could always count on Jade.

With renewed vigor, she swung both hands up to grab the ledge once more. It was clear that she would not be able to pull herself up at this point; she was simply too exhausted. Instead she clung for dear life.

Rose could hear a pair of crows getting too close for comfort, cawing ominously. With two loud gunshots, the birds ceased their ruckus. She reminded herself to knit her friend another Squiddles-themed sweater when this was over.

"Rose? Holy shit, you're alive!" Roxy yelled in awe. "Callie, can you cover me while I get her up?"

"But they are so very numerous; what if I fail?" Rosy could hear Calliope distantly expressing her doubts.

"You'll be great. And we don't got a lotta choice. Please, hold them back!" Roxy shouted desperately.

Calliope must have agreed, because Rose could hear her magnum firing moments later. She felt Roxy's warm hands encircling both of her wrists. They tightened, and she found herself slowly but surely inching her way upward toward the ledge. Finally, with a great heave, Roxy pulled Rose to solid ground.

Face flush against the floor, Rose offered a muffled, "Thank you, Roxy."

"Don't mention it!" Rose could hear rather than see Roxy's grin. "Now get yourself up, missy! Time for school. Today's lesson is 'Zombie Ass Kickin' 101'".

As she pushed herself up onto her knees, Rose could hear a faint roaring. She panicked for a moment, wondering whether the Tank had returned. Then she toppled forward into Roxy's arms.

Roxy grabbed a flashlight, examining her relative. "Holy shit, Rose! Your stomach!"

Groggily, Rose glanced down. A crimson stain spread itself across her front. _That is a troubling amount of blood,_ she thought to herself. She dimly realized that the roaring hadn't been a Tank, but her own vital fluids pumping through her ears.

"Oh, yes. I forgot about the Hunter wound," Rose said simply.

"Goddamnit! How do you go riding Tanks off cliffs like a badass without realizin' you're bleeding out?" Roxy muttered, teeth clenched in frustration.

"I sincerely doubt the wound is as bad as you make it out to be," Rose replied.

"Nope, don't go shruggin' this off. We're goin' to see Kanaya." Roxy turned to her girlfriend, who had managed to provide decent cover so far. "Callie, can you carry Rose?"

Calliope did not respond, instead continuing to fire her magnum at the approaching undead.

"Callie? Babe, listen. We gotta get somewhere safe." With extreme tenderness, Roxy lay a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder.

Calliope let out a short cry, jumping in fear. "R... Roxy! Don't do that!"

"Didn't you hear me? We gotta go get somewhere safe!" Roxy repeated.

"Safe... safe... yes, of course," Calliope replied distractedly.

"So, will you carry Rose for me?" asked Roxy.

"Oh. Yes, I suppose that would be fine,"was Calliope's disconnected response. When she reached out to take Rose's arm, the Seer realized just how much the former Cherub was shaking.

Fortunately, Rose managed to remain standing, albeit leaning heavily upon Calliope's trembling shoulder. Step by cautious step, the three made their way across the room to the south hall.

Rose clutched tightly to Calliope, trying to aim through her swimming vision. She was satisfied to learn that even in her anemic state, she could still bring down a Walker in a few hits. Calliope also had her weapon out, blasting the undead almost automatically. Rose stumbled as Callie flinched each time the weapon fired, but managed to stay upright. Roxy performed the role of protector, blasting zombie after zombie with her rifle. Between the three of them, they left piles of Infected behind.

Even with their skilled marksmanship, however, they could not stop the occasional bite or scratch of a particularly determined Walker. With every few feet, one got past their defenses and grasped at them with rotten claws. Rose was fairly safe between her two friends, but Roxy and Calliope picked up a number of wounds.

Finally, the three survivors made it to the door of Apartment 515. They clustered together, back to back, as all of the Walkers who had followed them across the room caught up.

Calliope again provided cover as Roxy pounded on the door. Rose tried to assist, but her head was getting foggy, and her aim was off a bit. Fortunately, only seconds passed before she heard, over the chaos, the faint sound of furniture scraping away from the door.

"Kanaya, Rose needs your help!" Roxy explained. "She picked up some nicks from a Hunter, and she's not lookin' too good."

Rose was focused on her attempts to score a hit against a Walker that was getting too close for comfort, so she could not turn to see Kanaya's reaction. Her voice shook, however, as she responded.

"Give her to me as quietly as you possibly can. If you all entered this room it would draw too much attention. This would place my patients in jeopardy. Leave Rose here and then head upstairs making as significant a commotion as you can manage. Draw them away."

"Sure thing!" Roxy grabbed Rose's upper arm, gently but firmly. "Come on, your woman's gonna help you. We'll meet up after this whole thing's over, 'k?"

"Be careful, Roxy," Rose replied as she was led into the safety of the makeshift hospital. When the door closed, she hoped she would see Roxy again.

Rose slumped to the floor as soon as the others were gone. Woozily, she glanced around. She appeared to be sitting in the apartment's living room. In the dim light of the camping lantern set in the middle of the floor, she could see other patients sprawled here and there on makeshift beds made of blankets, towels, and pillows. Some moaned quietly, while others made no sound at all, not even moving. Rose tried not to think about them.

Kanaya remained at the door for a few minutes, discerning whether the undead were going to take an interest in their hiding place. Finally deciding that they were safe for now, she pushed the furniture back in front of the door. Hopefully the zombies would forget about them and leave soon, or at least thin out enough that they could secure the area.

Rose's wife hastened to her side, pulling out an extra flashlight so that she could better see the injuries. Of course, it did not take a lot of looking to notice the heavy bloodstains on Rose's front.

Kanaya tutted fretfully. "I am going to pull up your shirt. It may hurt if your blood has adhered the clothing to your wounds. Are you ready?"

Rose smirked. "You may feel free to disrobe me at any time, my dear."

The former Troll rolled her eyes. "It seems that your sense of humor is still intact." Before Rose could answer, Kanaya peeled the shirt away from the wound, eliciting a yelp from her patient. Moments later the ruined shirt was forgotten in a pile in the corner.

As Kanaya bent down to look closely at the injury, Rose caught a whiff of her wife's familiar scent. It was so comforting, after nothing but blood and sweat the entire evening. In other circumstances, she may have been aroused.

Suddenly, Rose found her eyelids growing heavy. It had been a long, difficult evening, and all she wanted to do now was sleep. She'd earned it, hadn't she?

"Kanaya, would you be averse to continue working on me while I take a brief respite?" she asked groggily.

"Of course not, my dear. Just keep this in mind: while your wounds are not too severe they will need stitches to stop the blood flow. I may inadvertently awaken you." Kanaya placed the wet towel against Rose's torn skin, and the injured woman barely even felt it.

"I doubt that will be a concern." Rose felt herself fading quickly. "Goodnight, Kanaya."

The last thing she heard before slumber claimed her was her wife's voice: "Sleep well, Rose."

* * *

><p>Rose awakened to a gentle touch. "Wake up, dear. I need to change your bandages and it will be much easier if you are awake while I do so."<p>

Opening her eyes groggily, Rose took in her wife's kind face. Behind her, light filtered in from a window out of the injured woman's vision.

"How long have I been unconscious?" murmured Rose, mouth dry with sleep. Kanaya was careful as she helped her lover to sit up, but Rose couldn't help grunting anyway.

As soon as she was certain Rose would stay sitting, Kanaya handed her some bottled water and replied, "You have been out for several hours. Do not worry. We are safe. The undead seem to have calmed now that the sun has been up for a while. The other residents are in the process of eliminating stragglers and rounding up the wounded."

"Is everyone else unharmed?" asked Rose. She took a swig of the water, swished it around in her mouth, and swallowed.

"If you refer to our companions everyone seems well enough. Roxy and Calliope received some unpleasant cuts during their endeavors but otherwise they are fine." Behind Rose, Kanaya began the process of unwrapping the bandages around Rose's middle.

"So, what is the diagnosis, Doctor Maryam?" asked Rose once the bandages had been removed completely.

"The wounds from the Hunter appear to be healing quite nicely. There is no sign of infection. I..." she was cut off as the door to Apartment 515 opened. Roxy stood on the threshold, grinning widely.

"Rosie, you're awake!" the other Lalonde crowed. Rose quickly covered herself with her arms for the sake of modesty.

Kanaya scowled at Roxy. "Could you perhaps give us some privacy? I am attempting to practice my craft and it is difficult to do so while you are leering at us."

"Oh, sorry!" Roxy turned around, looking toward the door behind her instead. "That better? Promise I won't peek! I just really wanted to make sure Rose was okay while I was on break from cleanup duty."

Rose looked behind her at Kanaya. "So long as she promises to avert her eyes, I don't see why she can't stay."

The former Troll sighed. "Very well," she said simply as she returned to her work, carefully cleaning the cuts.

"So, you were totes amazing out there!" Roxy gushed.

"Thank you, Roxy. However, I don't require a play-by-play," Rose replied quickly, hoping to change the subject in front of her wife.

Roxy would not be deterred. "That was some hella dangerous stuff you did, tho! This shit's probly gonna go down in legend or somethin'!"

"Yes. Thank you, Roxy," Rose repeated more severely this time, trying to get a not-so-subtle message across to her sister.

"Oh? And in what 'dangerous activities' has Rose been engaged apart from battling the undead?" Kanaya's tone was stern as she finished cleaning the wounds and began wrapping them with clean bandages.

"Nothing," Rose said, carefully controlling her tone.

"I dunno, the way you stuck needles in the Tank's eyes and rode its torso out the window like a goddamn cowgirl was pretty cool!" Roxy said. Rose could almost hear her smirking.

"She did _what?_" Kanaya yanked just a bit too hard on the bandages, making Rose yelp. She quickly loosened them, but her grip remained firm.

Rose glared at Roxy. Sometimes she forgot that the woman was technically the same person as her biological mother. _Is she trying to teach me a "lesson" about being reckless?_ Rose wondered bitterly.

"Yeah, just hopped on its back and whipped it like the ugliest pony in Rainbowland," Roxy explained. "Anyway, I better get back to cleanup. Laters!" The culprit made a hasty retreat.

"Rose dear?" asked Kanaya.

"Yes, my beloved?" Rose replied as innocently as she could while simultaneously swearing bloody revenge on her ecto-relative.

"We are going to have some words."

"Of course."


End file.
